Clam Mantle recession, please help!

lemon drop

lemon drop

Member
Last weekend we moved our newly purchased reef aquarium to our home. The tank is a 120 gallon (4'x2'x2'), established reef system. 2- 400 watt metal halides, compact florescents, sump, 150lb live rock, etc.
Prior to the move, the tank was set up for 9 months in that location and prior to that in the person's previous home for awhile...
The clam looked great, as seen in the picture, after the move. Since then, the mantle has retracted into the shell on at least 3/4 of the shell. The clam sits on the cc bed as recommended by the person we purchased the tank from. The first day the clam was to one side of the tank in a high flow area. The mantle started to retract, that night I moved it towards the front in a lower flow area.
Is there anything I can do to help my clam recover?
 
lemon drop

lemon drop

Member
I have
lawnmower blenny,
watchman goby
3 pajama cardinals
2 skunk cleaner shrimps
1 banded coral shrimp
The levels, as of Tuesday:
Temp - 79
pH 8.2
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20
Ammonia 0
Calcium 350 (but I have added Kalkwasser water several time since)
Phosphate1.0
Any suggestions would be helpful. I will work on posting a picture of what he looks like now. His mouth opening is still moving and he closes up when a fish gets to close or when the lights are off.
 
pclown

pclown

Member
Your nitrate are borderline and with a clam they may be to high. When is the last time you have done a water change? I would do a 20% water change on day and another 20% the next.
Have you seen anything pick at the clam?
 
lemon drop

lemon drop

Member
Oh right I left off the coral beauty angel, he came with the tank. I would not have bought him for a reef tank.
I will do a water change tomorrow when my R/O water is ready
 
klaramore

klaramore

New Member
clams do not like direct water flow. they like water flow to bring food to them but not blasting at them medium flow over them. Are you putting in food for them. Are you dumping your new water , reef buffer, caluim buffer ect over it. Pick it up to see if it has brisle worms under it. The worms will drill into the clams foot and kill it. The only clam I lost was from brisle worms. I have had my tank crash and have never lost a clam. lost 15 fish but not a clam.
Bill
 
lemon drop

lemon drop

Member
I will check for bristle worms.
It is in a medium flow area at the moment. As mentioned earlier, it was in a high flow the first day. I have added food to the tank for them, every other day. Is that about right?
The additives I have on a drip at the back near the powerhead, the other clam is actually closer to the drip and looks fine.
Any other thoughts?
 
reefreak29

reefreak29

Active Member
as far as the nitrates go there fine clams will actually thrive with amonia levels , they dont like alot of flow could be why
 
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